Telemedicine

the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of telecommunications technology

Advantages

Convenience

Doesn't waste time in waiting rooms

economical

see X-rays, medical reports and other reports in real time

can see multiple doctors

HIPAA compliant

Disadvantages

Has technological glitches

may have incorrect consultations

Don't have a lot of privacy because it could be hacked

Examples of telemedicine

About 13 percent of all intensive care unit beds in the country are supported by tele-ICU technology. At the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, having trained intensiveness provide ICU care remotely resulted in a 20 percent decrease in mortality, a 30 percent drop in lengths of stay and reductions in care costs.

Through a program at Boston-based Partners Healthcare, more than 3,000 congestive heart failure patients used at-home monitoring devices to send updates of their weight, blood pressure and other metrics to Partners.